A fan holds up a sign referring to Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak as Philadelphia Flyers left wing Ville Leino skates past during the pre-game skate around at Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

A fan holds up a sign referring to Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak as Philadelphia Flyers left wing Ville Leino skates past during the pre-game skate around at Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers Scott Hartnell reacts to the goal scored by Danny Briere, not pictured, as Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak looks back in the net during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers Scott Hartnell reacts to the goal scored by Danny Briere, not pictured, as Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak looks back in the net during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak looks back as the puck hit by Philadelphia Flyers Danny Briere goes in the net during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak looks back as the puck hit by Philadelphia Flyers Danny Briere goes in the net during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec lands on top of Philadelphia Flyers Danny Briere in front of the bench during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec lands on top of Philadelphia Flyers Danny Briere in front of the bench during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michael Leighton sets as Montreal Canadiens left wing Mike Cammalleri prepares to shoot the puck during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michael Leighton sets as Montreal Canadiens left wing Mike Cammalleri prepares to shoot the puck during the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers' Michael Leighton, left, blocks a shot as Montreal Canadiens' Brian Gionta, right, leaps out of the way in the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. Center is Montreal's Glen Metropolit. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers' Michael Leighton, left, blocks a shot as Montreal Canadiens' Brian Gionta, right, leaps out of the way in the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. Center is Montreal's Glen Metropolit. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
/ AP

Montreal Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin, rear, talks to referee Tim Peel during a break in the action of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Montreal Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin, rear, talks to referee Tim Peel during a break in the action of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Philadelphia Flyers, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Montreal Canadiens' Tomas Plekanec, left, of Czech Republic, is hit in the face with the stick of Philadelphia Flyers' Darroll Powe, right, as he battles for position with Canadiens' Mike Cammalleri, center, in the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)— AP

+Read Caption

Montreal Canadiens' Tomas Plekanec, left, of Czech Republic, is hit in the face with the stick of Philadelphia Flyers' Darroll Powe, right, as he battles for position with Canadiens' Mike Cammalleri, center, in the first period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers , from the left, Matt Carle, Mike Richards and Simon Gagne gather to celebrate Gagne's goal during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers , from the left, Matt Carle, Mike Richards and Simon Gagne gather to celebrate Gagne's goal during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers Simon Gagne, right, raises his arms as the puck goes in the net during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. Roman Hamrlik, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers Simon Gagne, right, raises his arms as the puck goes in the net during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. Roman Hamrlik, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michael Leighton deflects a shot during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Michael Leighton deflects a shot during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak shuts the door on Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen, right who had the puck on his stick during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)— AP

+Read Caption

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak shuts the door on Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen, right who had the puck on his stick during the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals with the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers' Simon Gagne celebrates after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals , Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers' Simon Gagne celebrates after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals , Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers fans cheer after Montreal Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak, lower, of Slovakia, gave up a goal to Philadelphia's Simon Gagne in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers fans cheer after Montreal Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak, lower, of Slovakia, gave up a goal to Philadelphia's Simon Gagne in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers' Simon Gagne, left, swings at a rebound to score against Montreal Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak, of Slovakia, in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers' Simon Gagne, left, swings at a rebound to score against Montreal Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak, of Slovakia, in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
/ AP

Philadelphia Flyers' Ville Leino, second from left, of Finland, celebrates a goal by teammate Simon Gagne as Montreal Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak, right, of Slovakia, looks back at the puck in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jim McIsaac, Pool)— AP

+Read Caption

Philadelphia Flyers' Ville Leino, second from left, of Finland, celebrates a goal by teammate Simon Gagne as Montreal Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak, right, of Slovakia, looks back at the puck in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jim McIsaac, Pool)
/ AP

PHILADELPHIA 
Michael Leighton stopped 30 shots and recorded his second straight shutout, and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Flyers have scored 13 straight goals in the postseason since trailing 3-0 in Game 7 against Boston in the East semifinals. Leighton has been impeccable since taking over for an injured Brian Boucher in Game 5 of the semis.

His season was considered over once he went down with an ankle injury in mid-March. Leighton has the Flyers two wins away from their first Stanley Cup finals appearance since 1997.

Leighton is the first Flyers goalie to record consecutive playoff shutouts since Bernie Parent in 1975. His shutout streak of 165:50 is the second-longest in team history behind Boucher's 184:45 in Philadelphia's run to the East finals in 2000.

The Flyers haven't won the Stanley Cup since the second of their consecutive championships in 1975.

Leighton was tested from the opening faceoff as the Canadiens outplayed the Flyers most of the first two periods.

He turned away a ferocious slapshot from P.K. Subban in the first period to set an early tone of denial. Leighton made three quick stops in about a minute on a Montreal offense treating the game like shooting practice. When the puck hurled through the air on the last one, the Flyers crowd erupted and gave Leighton a standing ovation.

Leighton's emergence was as timely as Gagne's return. He rushed back to the lineup in the semifinals after a broken toe and scored his sixth goal in six games since then.

His goal late in the second period gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead - and a badly needed cushion. The Canadiens outshot the Flyers 16-6 in the first period and the Flyers didn't reach double-digits in shots until mid-second.

Montreal goalie Jaroslav Halak played the entire game after getting yanked in Philadelphia's 6-0 Game 1 win.

Halak was shaken early when Briere scored his ninth goal of the postseason 4:16 into the game. He took a beautiful backhand feed from Claude Giroux and fired from the slot to beat Halak for a 1-0 lead.

Briere had little explanation for his sizzling postseason scoring streak.

"I'm just trying to ride the wave," he said.

Gagne gave the Flyers an emotional lift in the second. He dropped to his knees behind the net fighting for the puck then worked it around to Leino who fired on Halak. Gagne sneaked around for the side to knock in the rebound.

"I think I fell just before that. That's why I was right there when the puck came right on my blade," Gagne said. "I just had to push it in."

Leino capped the scoring with a high wrister in the third.

The Flyers are in good shape - but they know the series isn't over yet. They rallied from a 3-0 deficit to eliminate Boston. They were just the third team in NHL history to win a round after trailing 3-0.

Montreal has proved it can play from behind, too, in these playoffs. The Canadiens erased a 3-1 series deficit in the first round, and were down 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 in the second.

The Flyers had the arena rocking with a pregame show that took fans on a journey from their last game of the regular season, a shootout win that clinched a playoff spot, to Gagne's improbable return to the Game 7 win over the Bruins.

They used their videotaped good luck charm with Kate Smith singing "God Bless America." Smith's rendition of the song has been a rallying anthem for the Flyers since the mid-1970s.

NOTES: The Flyers have won six straight playoff games for the first time since 1995. ... Smith first performed "God Bless America" in person at the Spectrum on May 19, 1974. The U.S. Postal Service will unveil her stamp on Wednesday at her statue outside the Spectrum. It's available for sale on May 27.